How to disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for one user

Security defaults are available for all users of a network that uses Office 365 with Azure AD included in the package. They make maintaining your security easier and help reduce attacks on your Office 365 accounts or passwords. However, what if you want to disable security defaults for a single user? Can you achieve this within the program, have a read of our content below, and get a better understanding of how you can disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for one user.

You can disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for one user with the help of Azure AD, which is located within the admin portal of Office 365. Here you can set a conditional access policy to disable the security defaults; when you disable the policy, remember that the default security measures such as MFA or device regulation policy defaults will be lifted. Go through and see what you can learn from our blog on disabling Office 365 security defaults for a single user.

  1. Firstly, open Office 365.
  2. Now select the launcher and click on “Admin.”
  3. From there, open the navigation menu.
  4. After that, go to “Admin centers” and click on “Azure Active Directory.”
  5. Once in the Azure admin center, click on “All services.”
  6. Now click on “Azure AD Conditional Access.”
  7. Select “New policy” followed by “Create new policy.”
  8. Name your policy.
  9. Click on “Specific users include.”
  10. Select a user you want to disable security defaults.
  11. Set the “Conditions” to the preferred “Device platforms” or “Locations.”
  12. Set “Access control” to “Grant access.”
  13. Select the top three options (also highlighted visually).
  14. Then press “Select.”
  15. For “Sessions,” select “Use conditional Access App Control.”
  16. Finally, press “Create.”

When completed, you will have managed to create a conditional access policy that disables security defaults for the user you have selected. When this policy is applied, all default security measures will be lifted; you must make sure that you follow each step illustrated above; otherwise, you run the risk of not being able to have a successful output with the access policy. The access policy allows you to be more specific with the policies you set, which you generally cannot achieve with the default settings. For instance, the default method of disabling the security defaults covers all the users within the program; with an access policy, as shown above, we can refine that measure to just one user if necessary.

In depth step by step guide [with screenshots] – How to disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for one user

If you find that the steps above are quite difficult to follow, you can use this guide to help with the process. The in-depth guide includes the visual context in the form of screenshots to better understand what each step is referring to. For instance, certain steps include multiple checkboxes you need to select; you can view what you need to select here and what you need to press to proceed with the next steps. The more complex steps may also include an in-depth analysis of those steps, giving you a better idea of what’s required.

  • Firstly, open Office 365.

To start the process, you need to first open Office 365; you can use your browser to access the program and proceed by signing into the program; make sure you have your mobile device ready for MFA approval.

  • Now select the launcher and click on “Admin.”

Nine dots illustrate the launcher in the left corner of the display; once you click on the launcher, you will be able to access all Office-based applications. You can click on “Admin” in the launcher panel to proceed with the steps ahead.

  • From there, open the navigation menu.

As illustrated above, the navigation menu access is triggered by clicking on the burger menu icon.

  • After that, go to “Admin centers” and click on “Azure Active Directory.”

Once you have opened the navigation menu, simply go to “Admin centers” and click on Azure; you might need to click on “Show all” to show all the admin centers if Azure AD doesn’t show for you.

  • Once in the Azure admin center, click on “All services.”
  • Now click on “Azure AD Conditional Access.”
  • Select “New policy” followed by “Create new policy.”
  • Name your policy.
  • Click on “Specific users include.”
  • Select a user you want to disable security defaults.
  • Set the “Conditions” to the preferred “Device platforms” or “Locations.”
  • Set “Access control” to “Grant access.”
  • Select the top three options (also highlighted visually).
  • Then press “Select.”
  • For “Sessions,” select “Use conditional Access App Control.”
  • Finally, press “Create.”

The conditional access policy for disabling the default security will have been successfully sent upon completion. Because all default security protections will be lifted when this policy is added, you must be sure to complete each step outlined above; otherwise, the policy you set may not give the correct results or may not work at all. You can be more particular with the policies you establish with the access policy, which is something you can’t do with the default settings. For example, the normal technique of deactivating security settings affects all users within the application. Using an access policy like the one shown above, we may tailor that approach to just affect certain users.

Why may you want to disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for one user?

You may be wondering why disabling Microsoft 365 security defaults for just a single user is. The situation in the blog will occur more often than you think because, to set a conditional access policy, you need to disable security defaults. Once the details have been disabled, you will then be able to set conditional access policies for that user. That will work well when you need the defaults active for all the users; however, you can use the method outlined above when you need to set a policy on a specific user.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading our content on how you can disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for just a single user. We hope that the solutions provided above have given you more context on how to disable Microsoft 365 security defaults for a single user. If you come across any content areas that you struggle to understand, simply add a comment to have those issues addressed.

Saajid Gangat

Saajid Gangat has been a researcher and content writer at Business Tech Planet since 2021. Saajid is a tech-savvy writer with expertise in web and graphic design and has extensive knowledge of Microsoft 365, Adobe, Shopify, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and more! You can connect with Saajid on Linkedin.

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